The Time Lords, They Are AChangin'
by FlamingBiscuits
Summary: "Who are you?" - a weak Hiro asks on his deathbed. "Hiro Nakamura," the brown-haired Englishman replies. "And I have a message for you, friend."


**Disclaimer:** I do not own _Heroes_ or the rights to any of its characters or locations.

**Tagline:** The future is ever-changing.

**Author's note:** This story is set 8 months after the events of 'Brave New World'.

THE TIME LORDS, THEY ARE A-CHANGIN'

CHAPTER 1

BRAVE NEW WORLD

**October 2010**

**Henry and Andrew**

**London, United Kingdom**

"Thank Heavens this place remained in-tact, considering who owns it." Henry jests in an attempt to compose himself after the fall.

"Quite," Andrew replies, trying a smile as well, "But Edgar was always popular. Genuinely nice guy, he was. The locals probably defend him as one of their own, if they know about him, that is."

The two men rush out of the men's bathroom and into the crowded bar. A middle-aged man sits on the toilet in one of the cubicles, swearing to himself that he surely can't have had _that_ much to drink. After all, it's only 3:30 in the afternoon. Those voices did seem to come out of nowhere, though. He quickly cleans himself and rushes into the bar without washing his hands in a bid to find the men, determined that they will stand out from the crowd just from their strong Wiltshire accents. Right enough, Henry and Andrew do stand out from a crowd when they are together, but he due to the Football match on that day, there were about 200 people in bar and he couldn't spot them, so he gave up his search thanks to a few puzzled looks from punters.

Henry has the look of a man who has just stepped out of the 1930s. He has a head of thick, wavy brown hair, with strong hazel eyes and a classic upper-class Londoner look. He always wears a three-piece dark brown pin-striped suit, along with a white shirt and dark brown tie. Andrew goes for a casual, modern look – jeans, trainers, a light coloured T-shirt with ever-changing logos that Henry can't stand, and an open-zipped hooded jersey. His hair is dark, short and spiky.

While they men look relatively the same age – around 30 years of age or so – they stand out from a crowd solely due to their clashing dress sense. Henry often gets on at Andrew for not dressing like him to fit in, but Andrew always rebuttals that it is Henry who should be trying to change his own fashion sense accordingly. Henry is a stubborn man, but he prefers not to debate with his friend and thus always ends this argument with a smile and a "Lets go.".

"Andrew Matthews!" a loud voice shouts amidst the noisy bar.

A tall, rugged man grabs Andrew's collar.

"I thought I told you never to step foot in this place again, you slimy little rat."

Henry's eyes widen as he is rightly caught off guard by this interruption, but he's even more stunned by the fact that Andrew isn't defending himself, so to speak. Henry almost gets his eyes closed before he sees Andrew smile broadly and the thuggish-looking man rubbing his head and laughing.

"Andy, it's great to see you again!"

"Likewise. Let me introduce you to my friend." Andrew offers, much to Henry's relief.

"Edgar, this is Henry Na... Neville. Henry, this is Edgar."

Edgar smiles and firmly grips Henry's hand.

"Good to meet you, Henry!" Edgar exclaims.

"Likewise, I'm sure''

Edgar gestures to a young barmaid as he leads Henry and Andrew into the back room of the bar, and she in turns nods to confirm that she will hold the fort while her landlord and his associates talk in private.

"Andy, it really is good to see you. I had a feeling that you of all people would survive" Edgar states in a relieved tone as the three men sit down.

"Well, I didn't. Henry here saved my life." Andrew replies.

Edgar shrugs.

"Well, I've gotta' say, you look older, mate. No offense."

"I _am_ older. Four years is a long time."

"Four years? It's only been 8 months since Claire…" Edgar frowns.

Henry rolls his eyes and Andrew's wink at Edgar eases his suspicion.

"Four years, huh? Listen, I'm thrilled you guys are here, but as you can see, I've got a busy pub to run. How about dinner tonight? Katrina's in charge after 6 tonight anyway."

Andrew frowns, as he feels guilty for rejecting his old friend's offer.

"No, we don't have time, I'm afraid. Right now I'm just here for information."

Edgar folds his arms in anticipation and the men sit in silence for a few moments before Andrew finally speaks.

"Do you still keep in touch with them?"

Edgar puts his head down and sighs.

"I try not to. We're all lying low for now. Who is it you need?"

"Hiro Nakamura", Andrew replies.

"I don't... I don't think he made it." Edgar stutters. "Last I heard he was in a coma."

"Do you have his address?" Henry asks, with a hint of urgency.

Edgar looks wearily at Andrew then nods.

**October 2010**

**Yamagato Industries**

**Tokyo, Japan**

"Excuse me!" Henry smiles at the receptionist, "Do you speak English?"

"Yes" she nods.

"Okay, splendid. We're looking for the office of Hiro Nakamura; I believe he's the CEO."

The receptionist sighs slightly.

"Mr. Nakamura passed away three months ago."

Henry and Andrew look at each other, and Henry goes pale white at the mere suggestion. Andrew takes over when he realizes that Henry can't string another sentence together.

"If you don't mind us asking, who took over? It's really important that we speak to the CEO."

"His sister. But, I'm afraid you'll need an appointment to speak to her. I can make one now for you" she says, quickly typing on the computer next to her.

"If you could just tell us where her office is? That would be great." Andrew smiles.

"I'm afraid I can't do that, sir."

"Seventeenth floor, you say?"

"We don't have a seventeenth floor." she frowns.

"Sixteenth, then?"

The receptionist's stutter confirms this, and the two men rush out of sight, quickly followed by a security guard.

**Kimiko Masahashi's office**

**16th Floor, Yamagato Industries**

**Tokyo, Japan**

"Excuse me, are you Kimiko Nakamura?" Henry desperately asks.

"Formerly; I married, I'm now Kimiko Masahashi. Do I know you gentlemen?"

Andrew's eyes widen at the beautiful woman.

"I'm looking for Hiro? We're old friends." Henry lies.

Kimiko's eyes water and a Japanese man in a suit rushes out of a near office to speak with them.

"Excuse me, can I help you?"

"These men are looking for Hiro." Kimiko sobs.

The man extends his hand to Henry.

"I'm sorry. Hiro passed away a few months ago. I'm Ando Masahashi. Can I help you?"

Henry looks back at Andrew and they both smile.

"You already have. Thank you, Ando." Henry bows.

Henry and Andrew begin to rush down the corridor, as Ando shouts behind them.

"Hey!" – Henry stops for a moment – "Do I know you from somewhere?"

Henry smiles. "You will."

As the two men rush down the corridor, Andrew can't help but ask.

"Was that?" – "Yes."

Outside, as they are preparing to leave, Andrew has doubts.

"Listen, Henry. You did promise that you'd never try to change anything that had already happened again. Not after _her_."

Henry stops.

"Look, Charlie showed me that I cannot change the past. But I can change the future. For argument's sake, say it is possible for us to travel through time to the day before Hiro died. Would preventing his death be changing the past? No, my friend. It would be changing the future. And that's allowed."

"What do you even plan on saying to him, Henry? What name are you going to give him? Your real one?" Andrew asks, raising his eyebrows.

"I haven't thought that far" Henry states, angry at himself for not yet making this important decision.

"You have always stuck by me, Andrew. You have saved my life more times than I care to remember. And for that, I will always be grateful. I regret that I must ask for your help after swearing never to put you in this position again, but if you choose not to take this journey with me, then I'm afraid I will take it alone."

Andrew hesitates for a moment.

"You really ought to change your clothes" Andrew finally smiles.

"Let's go."

**July 2010 (Three Months Ago)**

**Hiro and Ando**

**Red Cross Medical Centre**

**Tokyo, Japan**

"Ando," Hiro asks, weakly.

Ando places his magazine on the desk beside him and crouches down at Hiro's bedside.

"I don't have much longer, Ando."

"Hiro, don't say that."

"Don't interrupt me. I hate it when you do that!" Hiro smiles. "I just want you to know, that I appreciate everything you have done for me. You have risked your life so many times to protect mine. For that, I am eternally grateful. I know what you've been trying to do to help me now, Ando, but this is a quest I must take alone."

"Hiro, please. I don't want to watch this anymore. Just let me try something else."

Hiro smiles.

"There is nothing left to try. The surgery didn't work the first time, it only came back stronger. It didn't work the second time either. Ando, and your efforts in finding a power to fix it have proven to be fruitless. I have accepted my fate, and I hope you can come to accept it in time."

Ando stands up.

"Your destiny is not to die!" he shouts. "Your mother was a Healer; all we have to do is find another Healer, I keep telling you this! I know I haven't found one yet, Hiro, but I can. You have to trust me." Ando says, kneeling on the floor again and giving Hiro a begging look.

"Ando, Peter Petrelli tried something like that. How far did he get?"

"I will do it properly."

"Ando –"

Hiro is cut off by the door swinging open and seeing two strange-looking men standing in the doorway. Hiro notes that one of them is dressed like he should be a newspaper reporter from a hundred years ago, while the other looks normal, but silly standing next to the first man.

"Can we help you?" Ando says, standing up and looking weary of the two men.

Henry brushes past him to shake Hiro's hand.

"Who are you?" a weak Hiro asks on his deathbed.

"My name is Hiro Nakamura," the brown-haired Englishman states. "And I have a message for you, friend."

Hiro looks puzzled and Ando gets ready to charge up his hands.

"But right now, we need to leave. You are in grave danger!"

Ando puts his hand on Henry's shoulder. "I think you should leave." he states.

"Ando!" Hiro shouts, before looking at Henry and smiling.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what you think you know, but my friend is right. You should leave. I'm dying. I don't have a lot of time left."

Henry looks at Ando and then Andrew who grins, and Hiro notes that the hospital equipment has stopped working. He looks out of the bedroom door and realizes that everything has shut down. Before he gets a chance to ask this strange man what he's done, he sees the impossible: all of the staff and patients have frozen still. Since the world found out about Specials back in February, Hiro's brain tumour has gotten worse and his powers have weakened to the point where he can barely use them. Surely he can't have stopped time? The last time he tried he fell into a coma for days. He turns his head towards Henry, the only other person not frozen. Henry cocks his head, smiles and winks at Hiro.

"We've got all the time in the world."


End file.
